Talking about your mental health doesn't need to be scary or over-complicated, you can start the conversation by simply saying, “I need to get something off my chest” or “I need to talk, do you have time to listen?” Just remember to tell your boss only what is necessary.
If you know what you'd like to request from your boss to ease your workload, you can say something like: "I've been struggling with a lot of stress and anxiety and would like to request some changes to my schedule or time-off, etc." "Be as honest and as candid as you can be.
Dr. Cyrus recommends keeping it short: "'I'm not feeling well today and would like to call in sick' — because feeling emotionally sick counts. Or, 'I'm unable to come in due to personal reasons. '"
You can call in sick for any mental health reason, diagnosed or not, including: anxiety disorders.
Remember, you're not legally required to tell your employer about your mental health condition, unless there's a risk to yourself or others.
“Recently I've been having a hard time with my [condition] and am going to take a sick day today to try and rest up. I'll be back tomorrow.” “I'm feeling burnt out, and am planning to take a sick day today to take care of my mental health. I'll be back in the office tomorrow, thank you for understanding.”
If you need to take a leave of absence, ideally you'd be able to calmly inform your manager or HR department that you need to go on leave, while sharing only a minimal amount of information and keeping your diagnosis private.
Anxiety is what we feel when we are worried, tense or afraid – particularly about things that are about to happen, or which we think could happen in the future. Anxiety is a natural human response when we feel that we are under threat. It can be experienced through our thoughts, feelings and physical sensations.
If an employee has been diagnosed with stress or anxiety, they can be allowed time off. A lot of people have anxiety but they shouldn't be put on leave because of it. Mental illness is often defined as a chronic illness; and sometimes people must find a way to live with.
Sample Statement. “I'd like to tell you about a condition that I have called social anxiety disorder. I have received treatment for SAD, and I'm in recovery. But, I may have anxiety in during performance and social situations.
How long can you be signed off work with stress? If you are off work for fewer than seven days, you don't need a sick note for stress and depression.
If you can't work due to anxiety and depression, you may want to consider applying for Social Security Disability benefits. Know, however, that there are strict criteria to meet, and documentation of ongoing treatment is required. For anxiety and depression to improve, you may need to make some lifestyle changes.
Disclosing your struggles can actually be a great form of relief, too. In many cases, once you open up about your mental health issues you may no longer feel like you're dealing with this alone and provisions can be put in place to help you reach a better state of mind.
When speaking with your doctor, explain that you're thinking about taking a stress leave from work and describe your stress symptoms. Be honest about how your stress level is affecting your professional and personal life.
I'm messaging you to let you know that I'm not feeling well today, so I need to take a sick day to rest and recover. I hope I'll get back to work tomorrow. I am supposed to join a meeting with Maria and Susan later today, but I'll ask them if we can reschedule it.
You don't have to go into personal details, just focus on how your mental health problem can affect your job. Who you want to share it with. For example, you might tell the human resources (HR) department about your diagnosis, but you don't have to tell your supervisor or colleagues.
“Hi [Manager Name], so sorry for the last-minute text message, but I've had an unexpected illness come up, and I will have to take a sick day tomorrow. I've contacted [Name], who will be able to cover my shift in my absence. I hope to be better and able to work the following day, and will confirm with you tomorrow.
You do not have to disclose the illness during the interview or hiring process, but it's beneficial to do so before problems arise. This way, the company has more flexibility to structure your work to minimize stress and potential problems.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. But anxiety disorders are treatable and a number of effective treatments are available. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.